Delhi government to install roadside air purifiers

New Delhi, (IANS) Air purification systems will be installed at five major intersections of the city within two months as a pilot project, the Delhi government said on Friday.

Delhi Transport Minister Satyendar Jain said a mist fountain will also be installed at one major intersection to purify the air.

“We have identified five major intersections in Delhi where comprehensive air treatment systems will be installed. If the pilot project is successful, it will be expanded to other intersections as well,” Jain said.

He added that the system has been designed by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) along with the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B).

The five locations where the systems will be installed are Sarai Kale Khan, Anand Vihar, Kashmere Gate, ITO and IIT Delhi/AIIMS.

“It is a modular system and can be scaled based on the space available at the intersections. It can even be installed on the central verge of the road,” Jain said.

Jain added that a mist fountain will come up at one location.

“Experts say that it can have a big impact on pollution by arresting the pollutants in the air. Recycled water can be used in this fountain which will be supplied by Delhi Jal Board,” Jain said.

He added that the government has set a target of one-and-a-half to two months for both the pilot projects.

A government statement said the purification systems will tackle carbon monoxide, NOx and hydrocarbons.

“The system has potential to reduce carbon monoxide and particulate emission by 40 per cent to 60 per cent in 20 to 30 metre radius during peak hours of traffic,” the statement said.

The decision was taken at the third meeting of the inter-ministerial task force set up by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to tackle the issues of air pollution and garbage disposal.

National Director of NEERI Professor Rakesh Kumar, who was also present at the meeting, offered Research and Development (R&D) support and technical assistance to the Delhi government.

During the meeting, the government also decided that Rajghat power plant will be converted into waste-to-energy plant by December 2017. Jain had on Wednesday announced that the government is considering the proposal.

“During the first phase, we will build a capacity of processing at least 4,000 tonnes of garbage. We intend to increase it to 6,000 and 8,000 tonnes in subsequent phases,” Satyendar Jain, who heads the task force, said after the meeting.

He added that Radio Frequency Identifiers (RFID) and weigh-in-motion sensors will also be installed at all entry points of Delhi by July next year.

The government had on Thursday announced that these devices will be installed to identify overloaded vehicles which are major contributors to pollution.

Asked if Delhi government will implement odd-even scheme during the coming winters, Jain said the government’s main focus right now is to enforce bus lane policy which makes it mandatory for buses to ply in the designated lane.

“For that, we will need to remove encroachment on the roads which will significantly reduce congestion and will be more effective than odd-even scheme to curb pollution,” Jain added.

Under the odd-even scheme, odd and even numbered vehicles are allowed to ply on roads on alternate days.

The Minister also said that the Delhi government is starting the work of lighting around 8,000 dark spots in north and east Delhi from Saturday for which No Objection Certificate has been received from the municipal corporations.